We recently teamed up with Libbey Glass to shoot some photos of Howells & Hood General Manager Andrew Macker making some classic cocktails with a twist. Having the largest draft beer selection in Chicago at his fingertips, Andy chose to incorporate some of the many varied beer styles that are on offer and spin traditional cocktail recipes into modern ‘beertails’.
Established in 1818, Libbey has the largest network of glassware manufacturers in North America. We had a great time working with them, and their glassware really shows off the drinks we create at the restaurants.
Classic Cocktails with a Twist
Cider Gin Fizz
A Gin Fizz is one of several fizz family cocktails, which rose to fame during the heyday of cocktails in America. A specialty of New Orleans, the drink became so popular between the 1900s and the 1940s that bars would employ entire teams of bartenders to take turns shaking the cocktail throughout the night.
Similar to a Tom Collins, the traditional recipe builds on the gin with lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. By adding a cider into the mix, Andy adds a whole new flavor profile to the cocktail, with the fruity sweetness giving a new twist to the acidic and sour elements.
Ingredients:
1 Egg White
1 tsp. Black Walnut Bitters
1 ½ oz. Sour Mix
½ oz. Lime Juice
2 oz. Hendricks Gin
1 oz. Pimms
Cider
Directions:
In a shaker tin, add ice, 1 egg white, 3 dashes black walnut bitters, 1.5 oz sour mix, .5 oz lime juice and shake until frothy. In the same tin, add 2 oz Hendricks Gin and 1 oz Pimms. Shake again and strain into your favorite Libbey glass over ice. Top with your favorite Cider, stir quickly and enjoy!
Pro Tip: follow our directions for the best shaken cocktail technique.
Howells & Hood Michelada
The most common story of the birth of the Michelada traces the drink to the Club Deportivo Potosino – a sports club in the city of San Luis Potosí. The story goes that a member named Michel Ésper used to order his beer with salt and lemon juice, leading to the drink taking on his name.
A Mexican “cerveza preparada”, the Michelada already uses beer, but instead of a traditional Mexican light lager, Andy chose to use a wheat beer to give it another unique edge. The real standout part of this recipe is that instead of using a simple mix of lime and tomato juice, the Howells & Hood recipe starts by taking limes, oranges, tomatoes, jalapeños, and Anaheim peppers, and charring them all on a grill. This not only caramelizes the sugars in the fruits but also adds a smoky character and a new depth to the classic cocktail recipe.
Ingredients:
6 Limes
3 Oranges
3 Tomatoes
3 Jalapeño Peppers
2 Anaheim Peppers
2 tsp. Chipotle Powder
1 tsp. Crushed Ginger
6 oz. Tequila
6 oz. Wheat Beer
6 oz. Michelada Mix
Directions:
Cut the limes, oranges, tomatoes, and jalapeño peppers (stem removed, seeds still in) in half, and coat with canola oil, along with the Anaheim peppers. Add 2 teaspoons of chipotle powder and 1 teaspoon of crushed ginger. Toss together in large mixing bowl and grill on medium-high heat (until char has formed on all ingredients – just the pulp of the lime and orange, not the rind). Juice the limes and oranges, add 6 ounces of your favorite Reposado tequila and blend all ingredients until smooth and strain. In your favorite Libbey Cooler glass, add ice half way and 6 ounces of your favorite wheat beer. Top with 6 ounces of Michelada mix. Stir quickly and enjoy this spicy, smokey beer cocktail!
Still thirsty for more cocktail knowledge? Learn to make cocktail bitters at home, or check out some summer cocktail trends.